


Lick Your Lips and Make a Fist

by Sassaphrass



Series: Bruised Knuckles and Bleeding Lips [2]
Category: Black Sails
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe- Career Criminals, Basically a Guy Ritchie AU, Crimes & Criminals, Established Relationship, Fluff, Love is Weird, Multi, Open Relationships, Organized Crime, Polyamory, Twisted and Fluffy Feelings, it's complicated - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-01-22
Packaged: 2018-09-19 04:05:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9417770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sassaphrass/pseuds/Sassaphrass
Summary: There's bad blood between Anne Bonny and Charles Vane, unfortunately there's also their mutual but unofficial sort-of-kind-of-maybe-boyfriend. Luckily for them both, Jack Rackham can handle just about anything.AU: Where everyone is a career criminal. Vane runs a gang, Jack is exploring the exciting world of money laundering, and no one has figured out wtf Anne does. Sequel to 'Bruised Knuckles and Bleeding Lips'





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sequel to 'Bruised Knuckles and Bleeding Lips', but you don't really need to read that. 
> 
> Basically: Anne and Vane are criminals who sort of hate each other, but both started dating Jack in the first one. It has been some time since then and things have changed...but also not.

Things between Jack and Vane have gone south again, as they always inevitably do before they circle back round again to Vane throwing himself at Jack's feet in tears or Jack crawling back to Vane on his hands and knees begging for some small scrap of love and affection.

 

Anne thinks that Jack needs to cut that tie. Vane doesn't treat him right.

 

But, Jack's addicted to being wanted. So he stays. Even though they don't run together anymore, and Vane's not the boss of them.

 

She supposes she should be grateful for that. After all he stays with her for the same reasons he stays with Vane. She's there and she wants him.

 

She treats him better than Vane though, she thinks. She loves him. At least, she loves him as much as she can.

 

She'd never let her crew beat the shit out of him for kicks at least. Not that Vane had known about it at the time, but the point is he should have. Jack is his...friend? Lover? Favourite shag? Well, whatever, he was something to Vane, no one denied that...And with that comes certain responsibilities. Such as, making sure your employees don't put them in the hospital.

 

They're in the wind now. Not running with anyone in particular since they split with Vane. No jobs on the horizon and the times getting leaner with each day that passes. But, that doesn't keep them away from the pub. Partly out of defiant pride, to prove they haven't been cowed or worse- broken by having Vane drop them, and partly because if they're ever to find their way out of this mess odds are it will be through a person they meet at the pub.

 

This turns out to be only partly true. They didn't meet Max at the pub, but that's where she finds them again. Max saves their sorry asses with a business proposal and an offer of partnership.

 

They're in it together now, even if Jack's not so sure. He doesn't trust Max, because she used to be one of Eleanor Guthrie's girls, and has only recently emerged from the disaster of ending that relationship. He doesn't think they should risk allying themselves with someone whom Eleanor dislikes. After all, the Guthries own the clubs, and the bars most of them work out of, they supply the merchandise for those crews who deal, and buy the merchandise from those crews who steal. There's practically nothing worth doing in this part of town that the Guthrie's don't have some hand in.

 

But, they're not in a crew right now. They're not working a racquet or spinning a deal. Without Vane's support all the pair of them amount to is a skinny piece of muscle and a washed-up conman. In the end Jack agrees to joining with Max because there's nothing left to lose.

 

Anne and Max find their new partnership far more mutually beneficial than Jack does.

 

Max is caramel and cyanide mixed together so all you taste is sweetness.

 

Anne finds her intoxicating.

 

She's the sort of girl people die for. Actually, she's the sort of girl people have died for. 

 

Jack watches her with wide nervous eyes and Anne pretends not to notice. They've never made promises to each other or come to some sort of agreement.

 

And if you have a chance to kiss a girl like Max, than as far as Anne is concerned you are duty bound by the laws of god to fucking take it.

 

She sees the way it makes Jack twitch when she kisses her at their table. Insecure and uncomfortable in a way he so rarely is. And it's not that she doesn't care. It's just that... Jack's not her problem, or at least not only her problem.

 

He's never asked her for any promises, because he knows she'd say he had to give up Vane in exchange, which they both know he'd never do.

 

So, neither of them say anything when he pushes his chair back with a shriek and stalks out of the room.

 

Anne takes the opportunity to pull Max more fully onto her lap.

 

 

 

Vane isn't expecting it when Jack shows up at his door. They've been on the outs for a while now. Long enough that Vane was half-wondering it maybe this time it was permanent. Not to mention he doesn't usually bring Jack back to his place.

 

But there Jack is leaning against the door frame in a way he no doubt thinks is incredibly saucy, wearing a wine coloured shit open far enough that Vane can see a trail of hair leading up from his pants.

 

Leather pants so fucking tight Vane has always secretly suspected Jack must have had them custom tailored.

 

After taking in the entire picture Vane looks back up to meet Jack's eye, pretending to be unimpressed.

 

Jack raises an eyebrow and quirks his mouth in that particular way that makes Vane want to cut those fucking pants straight off him.

 

He hesitates though, because they _have_ been on the outs for a while and he's not fucking stupid.

 

“Anne know you're over here?” Vane grunts as he hauls Rackham in by his shirt.

 

Jack grins. “Now, Charles, darling, let's not ruin my lovely seduction, shall we?”

 

Vane snarls happily, grabs Jack by the neck and hauls him over to the kitchen counter where he pins him against the cold granite.

 

Jack beams up at him wickedly. “By Christ in Heaven, I've missed you Charles.”

 

Vane growls, one hand still on Jack's throat and the other working his paints open. “Shut up, Jack.”

 

Jack is wriggling out of his pants, and Vane almost has to stifled a laugh.

 

Talcum powder. Fucking Jack Rackham everybody.

 

Vane can't believed he's missed this fucker so much. Vane fucks Jack, quick and rough, on the counter, and afterwards all Jack has to say about it is:

 

“Why does an absolute heathen such as yourself have granite counter tops?”

 

Vane glares at Jack who grins with all his teeth, and daintily steps out of his pants which were caught up around his ankles.

 

“What brought you here, Jack?” Vane growls.

 

Jack shrugs. “Anne is busy with that charming sex-worker Max.” He waggles his eyes at Vane. “...and I have to entertain myself somehow, Charles.”

 

Vane rolls his eyes. 

 

Jack is wandering through the apartment with only his ripped open shirt and a couple of necklaces on.

 

“Clearly the narcotics trade pays well. What with the counters and all...though apparently only enough to buy, not decorate you gorgeously spacious flat.”

 

Vane crosses his arms. Jack has a point about the place, it came with furniture and Vane has barely touched the place since moving in. Stark, is one word you could use to describe it. Not that he'd admit it. “You had your chance Jack.”

 

“Oh, I know. But, you know Anne, she's so funny about certain things.”

 

Vane briefly considers jumping up to sit on the counter and then realizes that Jack's bare ass had been on there not a moment ago and decides against it.

 

“She won't like you seeing me.” Vane points out.

 

Jack is going through the contents of Vane's book shelf.

 

“Anne doesn't like a whole host of things, Charles. She endures them all the same.” He reassures Vane, distractedly. 

 

“She thinks I treat you too rough.” Vane reminds Jack, and even he can't deny she has a point given what just happened.

 

“Given that she has been known to tie me up and wield a crop, I think she has no room to judge.”

 

Vane decides fuck it and hops up onto the counter. He'd been _in_ Jack's bare ass after all.

 

“You really come over here to bitch about your girlfriend?” Vane asks. He doesn't mind, he's just curious. 

 

Jack turns to Vane in exasperation. “No! Obviously I came over so you could fuck me stupid and I wouldn't be able to string to words together, let alone brood on the flighty and inscrutable nature of a woman's heart. But, unless your refractory period has greatly improved in the last few months, the pair of us will have to endure a short period of conversation before we go again.”

 

Vane shrugs and hops down off the counter. That does make sense.

 

He nabs Jack by the arm and tows him towards the bedroom. No point in not being ready once they are ready to go again... 

 

 

Later, a couple energetic and creative hours later, Jack has wrapped himself around Vane like a heat-seeking boa, and Vane let's his guard down enough to stroke his hand along Jack's side.

 

Jack's face is tucked up under Vane's chin. Vane pretends the dampness there is from sweat, not tears.

 

“You alright Jack?” he asks, a little worried. 

 

Jack nods. “Of course Charles. We've come out alright from everything, Anne and I. Better than I imagined we would.” and if Vane couldn't feel the liquid trickling over his neck he'd never know that there was anything wrong from the sound of Jack's voice.

 

“Yeah? What sort of con you running these days, Jacky-boy?”

 

Jack presses his forehead to the hollow of Vane's throat. “No con. I do the books for the brothel Max is running. Business manager. She does personnel. Bonny does security. We make a shit-ton of money.”

 

“But, it's not what you wanna be doing.” Vane guesses. 

 

“No.”

 

There's a long silence while they lay there and Jack holds on so tightly to Vane, Vane himself starts to worry.

 

“You'll find your way out, Jack.” He finally murmurs, at a loss for what comfort he can offer. If he could he'd take Jack back working for him in an instant, but the rest of the men he works with wouldn't stand for it and odds are Jack would be dead or hospitalized within a week if Vane were to try.

 

He's running with a rougher crowd these days, and has gotten himself into dirtier business than what he conducted when Jack and Anne were still part of his team.

 

Jack sniffs. “I know.”

 

“Anne is fuckin' that whore than?” Vane asks.

 

Jack rolls away and nods at the ceiling. “Yeah.”

 

“Sorry.”

 

Jack shrugs. “Anne said I could join 'em if I wanted.”

 

Vane barks a laugh. “Then what the fuck are you doing here with me?”

 

“I have no desire to be simply included to spare my feelings. Max has no interest in me and would only...service me as a favour to Anne.”

 

Vane gapes incredulously. “Only you would get caught up on _why_ two horny naked girls are in yer bed instead of laying back and enjoying the view.”

 

“Unlike you Vane, I have enough psychological and emotional complexity that the issue for myself has never been the number of tits I have access to at any given moment.”

 

Vane laughs. “Yer just pissed that Max doesn't fancy you.”

 

Jack turns red. “That is not-”

 

“And worried that with that sleek piece of tail Anne's not gonna be interested in you anymore.”

 

Jack scowls. “Fuck you Vane.”   
  


Vane huffs out a laugh. “Other way round, Jacky, or haven't you been paying attention?”

 

That makes Jack grin. Best thing about Jack is nothing keeps him down for long. Vane rolls over and pins Jack under him.

 

Jack looks up at him questioningly, and Vane kisses him hard on the mouth, the jaw, the side of the head. He loves this son of a bitch, he realizes. Probably more than he loves anything or anyone else.

 

He doesn't know how to love him, though. God knows he can't give Jack half of what he needs, let alone what he deserves. But, he's grateful all the same that Jack's enough of an idiot to keep coming back.

 

Jack starts laughing and smacks at Vane's shoulders a few time. “Get off.”

 

Vane relents and rolls off. Jack looks at him, and there's something soft about his expression, and incredibly fond. He leans over and pecks Vane on the ear, and nose.

 

Vane rolls his eyes. “Shut up, Jack.”

 

Jack laughs. “I haven't said anything!”

 

Vane chuckles. “So what's your plan?”

 

“What plan?” Jack asks innocently.

 

“Your plan to get out of the book keeping.”

 

“I don't know what you mean...”

 

Vane reaches over blindly with one hand and shoves at Jack. “C'mon. You've always got some plan or other ticking away in your fucking brain.”

 

Jack glances at him out of the corner of his eye, clearly weighing something before he opens his mouth.

 

“Tell me, Charles, has Gates finally followed through on his threat to change allegiance and go work for Hornigold instead of Flint?”

 

Vane stares in confusion. “Gates is dead. Hadn't you heard? Flint did for him some time ago. Pretends it weren't him, but, we all know who really done it.”

 

Jack nods and hums. “Funny that. I could have sworn I saw Billy Bones down the pub the other day, at a table with Flint and that new fast-mouthed pretty boy who's been causing trouble.”

 

Vane sits up straight. “But, he was in for a 2 stretch! Rumour has it that's what got Gates so riled in the first place!”

 

Jack raises an eyebrow. “Those rumours about being a snitch still dogging Flint?”

 

Vane nods, his face like a thunder. “What's Gates' kid doin' with the man that killed him?” he asks. 

 

Jack shrugs. “I'd ask, but feel that doing so might jeopardize my health and well-being.”

 

He looks significantly at Vane who rolls his eyes. “Fine.”

 

Jack grins. “I love to see the little spark light in the dark cavern of your mind! Consider the tip free of charge.”

 

Vane grins and pulls Jack closer. Jack tries to wriggle away. “I've got to leave, Charles. Anne will be home soon.”

 

Vane draws him closer and kisses his shoulder. “C'mon. Stay the night. I hate to think of you waiting alone for her to come back.”

 

Jack turns to look at him incredulously. “Why Charles! You almost sound...considerate and... _thoughtful_.”

 

Vane scowls and shoves Jack away playfully. “Shut up, Jack.” He growls, slapping Jack sharply on the ass as he stands to get up.

 

Jack grins at him over his shoulder. “Why don't you come over here and make me?”

 

Vane chuckles and lunges out of bed. Jack scampers off laughing.

 

 

 

Anne isn't home when Jack gets back to their flat. He tries not let it bother him.

 

She entitled to her life, same as he's entitled to his. They owe each other nothing, so each day, each moment they're together means they've chosen each other again.

 

Jack smiles to himself as he throws his crap by the door.

 

The apartment he shares with Anne isn't like the beautiful sterility of Vane's brand new pre-furnished flat, with all the personality of a hospital exam room, Jack's home is beautiful and decaying. It's a big rambling apartment in a crumbling old building with crown moulding and damp in the walls.

 

He loves it here.

 

He starts running the huge ancient clawfoot tub and settles in for a fabulous bubble bath, complete with a bottle of nice red wine which he takes a few swigs from as he ponders the current state of affairs. 

 

Vane was right, he does have ideas. As much as he's always wanted to be like Vane, hanging with Max has given him a new appreciation for his own gifts.

 

There are thousand young thugs in London more gifted at violence than Jack is, but the thing is most of them can't do arithmetic.

 

Where Jack sees a need an opening is the money front. Making dirty money clean, making dirty money work. Laundering, embezzlement, credit card fraud, identity theft. That's where the real money is these days.

 

He tilts his head back against the edge of the tub, soaking in the warmth and dreaming of a new start.

 

Let Vane and Anne keep their wild ways, and snarling violence. Someone will have to look after them, and this time, that someone will be one Jack Rackham, esquire. 

 

A door closes and Jack opens his eyes to see Anne standing in the doorway, arms crossed.

 

“You went to see Vane.” She says, and it's not an accusation, just a statement of fact. 

 

“Had a tip to give him, darling.” Jack replies airily. “You know how it is- no rest for the wicked. This sort of information has a limited window.”

 

“You know I don't trust him.” Anne growls.

 

“What happened with the...beating and the pissing and the hospital was not his fault.” Jack insists. 

 

“He should have stopped it.”

 

“Well, he didn't. That's all there is to it. No use getting hung up on the matter.”

 

Anne just keeps scowling at him. Jack rolls his eyes. “Honestly, darling. It's none of your concern. You don't trust Vane. I don't trust Max, but collectively we benefit from the acquaintance-ship.”

 

“That ain't a word.”

 

“Oh, isn't it?”

 

Anne scowls. “It wouldn't matter if you trusted her or not if you'd watch me back with her.”

  
  
Jack sighs. “Once was quite enough, dear.” He shakes his head. “I don't want to sleep with people, who only begrudgingly allow me into their beds for your sake.”

 

Anne reaches out and cups Jack's jaw. “It isn't like that.”

 

Jack looks away. “Isn't it? It doesn't matter anyway, this business venture of ours is a rousing success.”

 

Anne sits down next to the tub. “But it's not what what we planned when we first talked about workin' together, is it?”

 

There's a long pause.

 

“So what was it you wanted to tell Charles?” Anne asks. 

 

Jack shrugs. “Just something I noticed about Flint's crew when they were round the pub. You know how Charles is about Flint.”

 

He doesn't have to see her face to tell she's not scowling, as she tries to work out what it was he noticed that she hadn't. “Yeah. He hates him almost as much as I hate my late husband.”

 

Jack smiles. “Yes, well. You know how he can be about these little...details. He'd have spent twelve days staring at them with furious concentration and never worked it out on his own, so... I gave him a little hint and a push in the right direction.”

 

Anne grins. “That was big of you.”

 

Jack shrugs. “Charles is rather terribly important to me, and...” he sighs. “maybe it's just all of Flint's talk getting to me but-”

 

“Something's coming? Yeah. I noticed too. Things are gonna change around here aren't they?”

 

Jack nods. “Batten down the hatches mateys. We've got to stick together or it'll all fall apart.”

 

Anne looks at Jack intently. “You remember, when I crossed the whole crew, and I said, no matter who it was, I knew, if it came down to a choice, you'd always pick me?”

 

“I seem to recall something of that sort. Yes.”

 

“You know I'd choose you too, right? If everyone in the world were lined up in a row...there's no one I'd pick over you.”

 

Jack blinks at her, and swallows. “I love you, too darling. I hope it goes without saying.”

 

Anne stand suddenly and hauls her shirt over her head, as she kicks off her boots. “It does.”

 

Jack eyes her. “I hope you're not planning on getting in here. There's no room.”

 

She steps into the tub.

 

Jack scowls at her. “Your going to make a mess.” he warns.

 

Anne tilts her head and sits down facing him, not caring at all that the water sloshes over the edges and half floods the bathroom.

 

Jack sighs. “Oh, sure. Blithely ignore my wishes, and splash water on the floor. It's dear ol'Jack who'll have to clean it up. But still, I suppose the damage is done.” He offers her the bottle.

 

She shakes her head and nods to the table next to Jack. “Pass me the cigarettes.”

 

Jack grins and hands her the pack and a lighter. “Anything for you.”

 

She kicks him under the water. Not particularly effectively. He laughs, and Anne Bonny smiles at him.

 

Jack's the only one who can make her smile like that.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all liked it! I am thinking of continuing to expand on this verse since there's some stuff with other characters from the show that I think would be real fun to put in.


End file.
